Snaggers for continuous take-up apparatus



July 26, 1960 E. c. STEM SNAGGERS FOR CONTINUOUS TAKE-UP APPARATUS Filed Sept. 26. 1958 v INVENTOR. E. C. STEM A TTORNEV United States Patent SNAGGERS FOR CONTINUOUS TAKE-UP APPARATUS Eugene C. Stem, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 26, 1958, Ser. No. 763,642

5 Claims. (Cl. 242-25) The present invention relates to improved snagging devices, and more particularly, although not exclusively, to improved snagging devices for securing a portion of a strand or filamentary material to one or more rotatable take-up reels of take-up apparatus which continues to operate uninterruptedly as the distribution of the strand or filamentary material is transferred from one take-up reel to a succeeding take-up reel.

In general, insulated electrical conductors are manufactured by means of a substantially continuous process in which an elongated conductive core or conductor is advanced continuously from a supply thereof to and through a series of manufacturing apparatus or processes, such as continuous extrusion apparatus, to produce the finished insulated conductor. 7

In order that the extrusion operation may continue without interruption or disturbance, it is common practice to employ take-up apparatus having two or more rotatable take-up reels onto which predetermined lengths of finished insulated conductors are wound successively. When a predetermined length of insulated conductor has been wound upon one take-up reel, the advancing insulated conductor is transferred to an empty take-up reel without interrupting the advancement of the insulated conductor emerging from the extrusion apparatus.

Means are connected operatively to adjacent sides of each of the take-up reels for gripping portions of the insulated conductor extending between the reels when the distribution of the insulated conductor is transferred from one reel to another. The trailing end of the insulated conductor is secured to the reel, filled with the desired amount, and the leading end of the insulated conductor to be reeled on the empty reel is secured thereto. The portion of the insulated conductor extending between the reels is cut by a conventional knife positioned across the path formed by the extending portion of the insulated conductor as the reels continue to rotate during the transfer of the distribution of the insulated conductor.

In the past difiiculties have been encountered in removing the strand or filamentary material from the conventional snagging devices. In some instances it is necessary to pry the material loose resulting in damage to the snagging device. Therefore, it is desirable to have snagging devices from which the insulated conductor, caught therein, can be removed without damaging the device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide new and improved snagging devices utilized on take-up or strand reeling apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved snagging devices for strand take-up apparatus which will permit continuous reeling of a strand being delivered to the take-up apparatus from a previous manufacturing process and permit transfer of distribution of the strand being wound upon a take-up reel, about to become filled, to an empty take-up reel, 'without stopping the take-up apparatus or interrupting the Ice advancement of the strand through the previous manufacturing process.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a snagging device from which the strand or filamentary material can be removed readily .without damaging the device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a snagging device for take-up apparatus whereby the takeup apparatus can be operated with greater speed and better efliciency.

Other and more specific objects of the invention include the improvements in construction and cooperative relationship of component parts which go into making up an improved snagging device.

In attaining these and other objects an improved snagging device for strand material, embodying certain features of the present invention, may include a rotatable snagging disc having an outer projecting portion extending in the direction of rotation of the disc to form a snagging tooth and an inner resilient projecting portion extending in the direction of rotation of the disc. The resilient projecting portion is positioned adjacent to and in spaced relationship with respect to the tooth to form a resilient clamp for the strand material. The resilient projecting portion is capable of being forced resiliently inwardly toward the axis of rotation of the disc when the strand material is caught by the tooth and forced between the tooth and resilient projecting portion forming the clamp.

Other objects and features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, sectional view of a portion of a take-up apparatus embodying a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of a snagging device on the take-up apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view of the snagging device of Fig. 2 taken along line 3-3 thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, there is shown a take-up apparatus,

designated generally by the numeral 10, which is of the same general construction and operated in a similar manner as that disclosed in application Serial No. 725,- 943, filed on April 2, 1958, in the name of B. C. Ellis, Jr. The take-up apparatus 10 is utilized for reeling a strand 11 without interruption, and comprises an inverted U-shaped frame 12 and a thin, rigid support member 13 located centrally between two take-up reels, designated generally by the numerals 14-14. The reels 14-14 are secured to associated snagger discs, designated generally by the numerals 16-16, by appropriate means. Each of the snagger discs are driven by appropriate means (not shown) through a belt 17.

The strand 11, which may be, for example, an insulated conductor delivered at a substantially constant rate from a continuous extrusion apparatus (not shown) by a conventional strand-advancing capstan (not shown) and through a conventional strand accumulator (not shown), passes to and partially around a rotatable guide sheave 18 and between a pair of spaced parallel guide fingers 19-19 which are secured to a conventional distributing carriage, designated generally by the numeral 21. The sheave 18 and the guide fingers 19-19 are moved transversely of either of the take-up reels 14-14 by the distributing carriage 21 to distribute the processed strand 11 evenly across the winding surface thereof and to guide the strand-11 as the distributor carriage 21 is indexed from one take-up reel 14 to the other during a cutover operation. i

The distributor carriage 21 may be driven by any of many well-known means and is mounted slidably, by a bearing 22, on a horizontally extending traverse rod '23 which, in turn, is supported fixedly to the inverted U- shaped frame 12 adjacent to the opposing ends thereof by upright members 24-24.

When one of the reels 14-14 is rotated'to take up the processed strand 11, the distributor carriage 21 is moved transversely of the winding surface of that reel 14 and parallel to the rotating axis thereof so as to move the guide fingers 19-19 which, in turn, direct the processed strand 1.1 evenly back and forth along the winding surface of the reel 14 onto which the strand 11 is being taken up.

A plurality of snagging devices, designated generally by the numeral ,26 (see Fig. .2), are formed on the outer periphery ofthe rotating snagging discs 16-16 connected to each of the reels 14-44 on adjacent sides thereof, and are :formed by a plurality of conventional snagging teeth 27-27 which are integral with and project from the snagging discs 16-16. The ends of the snagging teeth 27-27 project in the direction of rotation of the take-up reels 14-14 and snagging discs 16-16 and cooperate with the surface of the adjacent portions of the snagging discs 16-16 to form slots 28-28 into which a portion of the strand 11 is directed to connect the strand 11 to the snagging device 26 and thus the snagging disc 16 and take-up reel 14 associated therewith. Formerly portions of the strand 11 would become very' tightly wedged in a 'slot 28 and detrimental stresses and resulting :strains 'would be set up in the material of the discs 16-16 causing cracking therein as a result of operating personnel prying on the teeth 27-27 in an attempt to remove the wedged strand 11 therefrom.

In the specific embodiment of the improved snagging .device 26, a slotted, elongated plate, designated generally by the numeral 29, is formed of a piece of sheet, spring steel and is secured adjustably to the snagging disc 16 on the side thereof adjacent to the associated reel 14 by appropriate means, such as screws 31-31 extending through an elongated aperture 30, sothat a slot 32 in the slotted plate 29 is preferably slightly offset with respect to the 'slot 28 formed by the associated tooth 27'and the adjacent portion of the snagger disc 16 togive a tortuous path to the portion of strand .11 .forced therein. However, the snagging device 26 will work satisfactorily .if the slot 32 in the plate 29 is aligned with the slot .28 formed between the associated tooth 27 and the adjacent portion of the snagging disc 16.

The conventional slots 28-28 have been enlarged to prevent the strand 11 from becoming wedged therein. A portion of the slotted plate 29 forms a resilient projection 33 which cooperates with the outer projecting portion 35 of the plate 29 and the associated tooth 27 to form a resilient clamping member for the strand 11. The resilient projection 33 can be pushed inwardly towards the axis of rotation of the disc to release the strand 11 from the slots 28 and 32; however, the inward travel of the resilient projection 33 -is limited by a projecting shoulder 34 on the disc 16 which encompasses the adjacent flange 36 of the associated reel 14.

As the strand 11 is caught by the snaggingtooth 27, during a cutover operation, and is forced inwardly of the slots 28 and 32, it will bend the resilient projection 33 downwardly so that the strand 11 will be held in the slots 28 and 32 and clamped in a tortuous path between the resilient projection 33 and the tooth 27 to secure the strand 11 to the associated snagging disc 16 and, in turn, the take-up reel 14, associated therewith.

In this way, each of the resilient projections 33 coopcrates with the associated snagging tooth 27 on the associated snagging disc 16 to form a resilient keeper into which the strand 11 is directed, caught and held in a tortuous path during and after the strand 11 is cut by' a conventional knife 37, secured to the support member 13 between the discs 16-16 as a result of the rotation of the reels 14-14 and discs 16-16 during the cutover operation. As a result of the particular construction, centrifugal force exerted on the projection 33 during the rotation of the associated reel 14 and disc 16 will aid to the inherent clamping force of the projection 33.

The improved snagging device 26 permits ready removal of the caught portion of the strand 11 therefrom when the filled reel 14 is removed from the take-up apparatus. In this way the resiliency of the projection 33 of the slotted plate 29 permits easy cleaning of the snagging device 26 and eliminates the necessity of prying on the projecting teeth 27 and thus cracking of the material of the disc 16 in an attempt to remove the strand 11 from the slots 28-28 formed between the outer periphery of the snagging disc 16 and the teeth 27-27 projecting therefrom.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Dther arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art which embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved snagging device for strand material, which comprises a rotatable snagging disc, and a plurality of slotted platessecured to the snagging disc, each of said plateshaving an outerprojecting portion extending in the direction ofrotation of the disc to form ,a snagging tooth and an .inner resilient projecting portion extending in the direction of rotation of the associated snagging disc and cooperating with the outer projecting portion of the plate to form a resilient clamp for the strand material, the resilient projecting portion being capable of being forced resiliently inwardly toward the axis of rotation of the disc when the strand material is caught by the portion of the associated plate to clamp the strand material in the resilient clamp.

2. An improved snagging device for strand material, which comprises a rotatable snagging disc, and a plurality of slotted plates secured to the snagging disc, each of said plates having an outer portion which points in the direction of rotation of the disc and forms a snagging tooth and an inner resilient portion projecting in the direction of rotation of the snagging disc which may be forced inwardly toward the'axis of rotation of the disc and will cooperate with the outer portion of the plate to form a resilient clamp for the strand material, whereby when the strand material is caught by one of the portions of the plates forming the snagging teeth and forced inwardly of the slot in the associated plate the resilient projecting portion is urged away from the tooth portion of the associated plate and cooperates therewith to clamp the strand material in the snagging device.

3. An improved snagging device for strand material, which comprises a rotatable snagging'disc, a plurality of slotted plates secured adjustably to the snagging disc, each of said plates having an outer portion which points in the directionof rotation of the disc and forms a snagging tooth and an inner resilient projection pointing in the direction of rotation of the snagging disc which may be forced inwardly toward the axis of rotation of the disc and-will cooperate with the outer portion of the plate to form a resilient clamp for the strand material, and means for limiting the inward movement of the resilient projecting portion, whereby when the strand material is caught by one of the portions of the plates forming the snagging teeth and forced inwardly of the slot in the associated plate the resilient projecting portion is urged away from the tooth portion of the associated plate and cooperates therewith to clamp the strand material in the snagging device.

4. An improved snagging device for strand material, which comprises a rotatable snagging disc, a plurality of snagging teeth secured to the outer periphery of the snagging disc, each of said teeth having a free end projecting in the direction of rotation of the snagging disc and cooperating therewith to form an elongated strand receiving slot, and a plurality of slotted plates secured to the snagging disc, each of said plates having a resilient projection pointing in the direction of rotation of the snagging disc which may be forced inwardly toward the axis of rotation of the disc and will cooperate with the face of the associated tooth to form a resilient clamp for the strand material, whereby when the strand material is caught by one of the snagging teeth and forced inwardly of the elongated slot the resilient projection is urged away from the associated tooth and cooperates with the face thereof to clamp the strand material in the snagging device.

5. An improved snagging device for strand material, which comprises a rotatable snagging disc, a plurality of snagging teeth secured to the outer periphery of the snagging disc, each of said teeth having a free end projecting in the direction of rotation of the snagging disc and cooperating therewith to form an elongated strand receiving slot, a plurality of slotted plates secured to the snagging disc with the slots therein in alignment with the inward movement of the resilient projection, whereby when the strand material is caught by one of the snagging teeth and forced inwardly of the elongated slot the resilient projection is urged away from the associated tooth and cooperates with the face thereof to clamp the strand material in the snagging device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 766,936 De Roseau Aug. 9, 1904 1,851,314 Knoche Mar. 29, 1932 2,763,442 Bruestle Sept. 18, 1956 2,779,545 Hauck et al Jan. 29, 1957 

